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LINK
POPULARITY
CREATING
LINK POPULARITY WITHOUT GETTING BANNED
An
Article by Dan Thies/WebProNews
By
now, most webmasters know that link popularity
is the single most important factor in driving
top search engine rankings. But did you know
that some links can actually kill your search
engine rankings?
The
importance of links has led to the creation of
"Automated" links programs, such as
LinksToYou and others. If you're already in a
links program, hold on to your hat, because
I've got bad news for you.
How
"Automated" Links Programs Work.
In
a links program, every member of the program
uploads a page or pages to their website. These
pages carry links to the other program
participants' websites.
Why
"Automated" Links Programs Don't Help
Search Engine Rankings.
All
of the major search engines are aware of these
programs, and most of them use automated
processes to weed out "identical"
pages. Even if a search engine recognizes the
link, they won't give it much weight.
How
"Automated" Links Programs Can Kill
Your Business.
The
most popular search engine in the world today
is Google. In late 2000, Google began a
systematic campaign of permanently removing
links program participants from their index.
Altavista has begun a similar program, although
recent problems kept them from executing it.
Don't
the operators of automated links programs know
all this? Of course they do, yet they continue
to operate and proliferate. Tobacco companies
know cigarettes kill people, yet they continue
to sell them. I'm sure both would tout the
"benefits" of their product as a
justification.
What
To Do If You're In An "Automated"
Links Program.
First,
immediately remove all of the program's pages
from your site. Second, remove all the links
they had you set up on your other pages. Third,
if possible, cancel your membership... then get
to work creating some legitimate link
popularity.
Creating
True Link Popularity!
If
you want your site to have lasting popularity
and relevance with the search engines, you need
links from related sites. You must dedicate
time each day to locating and contacting other
webmasters to swap links, adding your site to
directories, and publishing articles in your
area of expertise.
Create
Multiple Layers Of Links.
For
some search engines, links to your home page
are good enough. At least some of your links,
though, should be targeted at your internal
pages. For example, if your site sells tools
for gardeners, get some links set up to your
"how to" and FAQ pages too. This will
help you get more of your site's content into
the search engine, and increase referrals
significantly.
Get
The Links Indexed!
It
doesn't do you any good to set up links if the
search engines never find them. You can submit
the pages that link to you, but most search
engines nowadays won't index them unless there
are other links to those pages somewhere on the
web. Consider adding a "resources"
page to your site, linked from your home page,
with links to all the individual pages that
link to you.
How
To Make Sure Your Links Get Indexed.
In
order to ensure that the links pointing to your
site get indexed, you really have to take an
additional step, and set up a second domain and
website. The gardening website in the above
example might need a partner site like
"gardening-resources.com" with a
single page pointing to all the links pages
you've set up.
Once
you've set up the secondary domain, add a link
to it from your main site's home page, and wait
for the search engines to index it. Don't
forget to link back to your primary site, of
course - not just your home page, but any
content pages as well. You should submit this
additional site to the same directories that
you use to list your primary site.
It
also helps to ask for an additional link to
your secondary domain when you set up links
swaps. Just explain how the secondary site
helps both partners, by adding link popularity
and helping the links pages get indexed. Any
sensible webmaster will gladly add the second
link.
What
Happens Now?
As
the link popularity of both of your sites
grows, they begin to feed on each other. Don't
neglect to track any search engine referrals to
your secondary site - if they grow to a high
level, you may want to turn it into more than
just a links page. If you've done a good job of
optimizing your primary site, though, chances
are your secondary site will never outrank your
primary site on any search.
Dan Thies has been helping clients (and friends)
promote their websites since 1996. His latest
book, "Search Engine Fast Start!” is
available at www.cannedbooks.com
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